Historic landmarks and places face a unique struggle when it comes to landscape lighting design. There has to be a balance between the aesthetics of the area and the intelligent use of modern lighting solutions. That was the challenge facing Chicago lighting designer Peter Hugh when he was chosen to head a project at the Shakespeare Garden. The Shakespeare Garden is a unique space on the National Register for Historic Places that is on the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. The playful English garden was planted by and has been carefully tended by The Garden Club of Evanston since 1915. But in 2016 when the club was gifted funds by the university for an upgrade, they faced the unique challenge of lighting it for the first time ever. Peter Hugh knew he had to maintain the integrity of the over 100-year-old garden and its history with exceptional and thoughtful path lighting and in grade lighting. That is why he turned to Auroralight, Inc., a leading landscape lighting company since 1996. The stunning results were featured in CAD Details.
In Grade Lighting and Path Lighting Made to Last
Once Peter Hugh had selected Auroralight’s fixtures, he knew he had to prove their value. His ingenious solution was to have samples brought in to show the stakeholders involved. “We let the staff at Northwestern hold the fixtures in their hands so they could appreciate the quality in workmanship and the beauty found in the use of solid copper and brass.” Auroralight has always been committed to using high-quality materials not only because they produce visually appealing results but also because they are long-lasting and sustainable. As Hugh puts it, “Real value is seen in longevity, better performance, and less maintenance over time vs. the lowest upfront cost.”
The next problem was figuring out how to add light to the garden that was unobtrusive but effective enough to make the garden accessible at night for the first time ever. As a result, the right path lighting became an important consideration. The choice of fixture was obvious: the LMG1-90s Maglio. It is sleek, powerful, flexible, and uses high-performance LEDs. It is also highly customizable, so it can be used in a variety of spaces for consistency without compromising on size, beam spread, dimming, and more. An additional consideration would be future lighting additions or updates, and the LMG1-90s Maglio can be complemented by other path lighting products that are part of the overall Maglio product family, which is ideal for maintaining the integrity of the initial design.
After the problem of path lighting was solved, there had to be appropriate lighting for the focal points in the garden. There are two features that needed to be distinctly highlighted, a fountain and a sundial. Peter Hugh chose from Auroralight’s lineup of in grade lighting to cast a strong light without disrupting the architectural features of the focal points. He ultimately decided to use the LMWL Micro Well. Although it is a small fixture dimensionally, it casts strong illumination with a smaller diameter. It is easy to direct, which made it ideal for strategically highlighting the facades of the fountain and sundial.
Peter Hugh knew he wanted this lighting project to create “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and Auroralight helped that dream come true. As he states, “Using Auroralight was an easy choice for me. We have peace of mind knowing that if something goes wrong, we are working with a company that will take care of it and that means a lot to us.” The Shakespeare Garden’s new illumination will see it inspire future visitors for many more years to come.
To read the full feature in CAD Details, click here.
If you’re looking for a landscape lighting company backed by integrity and craftsmanship, then you can contact Auroralight Inc. for questions and quotes for your upcoming landscape lighting or architectural lighting project.
